Proposed R3500 national minimum wage welcomed- November 2016

The Portfolio Committee has welcomed the announcement by the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa of a proposed R3 500 national minimum wage.

The Deputy President released an expert-panel report on Sunday recommending the minimum wage to be set at R3 500 per month or R20 per hour.

Chairperson of the Committee, Lumka Yengeni, said as an entry-level this amount will save the most vulnerable workers from further exploitation.

“The Committee appreciates the opportunity granted by the Deputy President for all stakeholders to discuss the proposal.

“The opportunity is for further consultation on the proposed figure. During the nationwide public hearings on the national minimum wage, different figures were raised by the public,” Yengeni said.

The investigation into the modalities of introducing a national minimum wage came as a result of the President’s State-of-the-Nation address in February 2014.

The President delegated this task to the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and now the investigation has been concluded.

Yengeni said the proposed figure allowed for further consultation since the Deputy President has submitted the report to all the social partners at the National Economic Development and Labour Council.

“The social partners will then take this proposal to their constituencies for further discussions. Parliament will also need to discuss the proposed figure. The panel itself was widely consultative and took into consideration the country’s economy,” she said.